Area Arts

Photographer's Retrospective Brings Two Pulitzer Prize-Winners to USM on Saturday, February 7

Gorham-- Photographer Rose Marasco of USM has spent the past 10 years creating evocative still-life photographs using compositions of buttons, diaries, needlework, lace collars, aprons, and other found objects. Over the years, these have been shown in a series of well-received exhibits that tell stories of the domestic work of women past. Her most recent series, "Circles, " features cibachrome images of silhouettes and shadows over arrangements of Life Savers and other common objects.

For the first time, Marasco will now bring together this 10-year body of work in a USM exhibit, "Domestic Objects: Past and Presence." The exhibit opens Saturday, February 7, in USM's Art Gallery on the Gorham campus. The exhibit will travel to Southwest Harbor, the University of Maine, and the University of Maine at Farmington during 2004 and 2005.

Maine weaver, Sarah Haskell, will also have an exhibit, "The Language of Family: Recent Weavings," opening Friday, February 14 in USM's Area Gallery in the Woodbury Campus Center, Portland. Haskell's weavings of linen, rayon, and metallic thread are inspired by thoughts of family and combine personal imagery with symbols.

Schedule of Events:
Exhibition: Rose Marasco, "Domestic Objects: Past and Presence", USM Art Gallery, Gorham. Saturday, February 7, Saturday, March 13 (closed February 14-22). Opening reception 4-6 p.m., Saturday, February 7 (snow date 4-6 p.m., Saturday, February 14). 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesdays-Fridays; 1-4 p.m., Saturdays, 780-5009.

Domestic Objects Symposium: 2-4 p.m., Saturday, February 7 (snow date 2-4 p.m., Saturday, February 14). USM's Corthell Concert Hall, Gorham.

Featuring panelists poet Charles Simic, historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, photographer Rose Marasco, and art historian Kim Grant. 780-5009.

Exhibition: "The Language of Family: Recent Weavings by Sarah Haskell." USM Area Gallery, Woodbury Campus Center, Portland. Friday, February 13, Saturday, March 20, Opening reception: 5-7 p.m., Friday, February 13; gallery talk at 5:30 p.m. 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays; 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 780-5009.

Exhibition of student works: "Domestic _Expression." USM Kidder Lounge, Robie Andrews Hall, Gorham. Opening reception: 4-6 p.m., Saturday, February 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays. 780-5009.

Film screenings: "A Midwife's Tale" and "Semiotics of The Kitchen" by artist Martha Rosler. 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 4. Burnham Lounge, USM's Robie Andrews Hall, Gorham. 780-5009.

Fiddlehead Arts & Cultural Festival Seeks Participants
Opportunity from Fiddlehead Center for the Arts for Artists, Organizations and Public Artists specializing in All Art Forms Festivals

Fiddlehead Center for the Arts located at the Pineland Campus in New Gloucester is planning their first annual Fiddlehead Art & Cultural Festival for Friday, May 14th for students and Saturday, May 15th for families. This exciting event will happen at various locations on the Pineland campus, a no charge event. Many popular favorites will be at the festival, and we are looking for new artists, performers, and ideas for hands-on activities that fit within the theme of: A Celebration of Art & Culture from Around the World.

FCA needs artists to provide instruction in their art form in many workshops, typically for about two hours each during the day. Entertainment will include an array of performers from the following regions of the world: Italy, Latin America/Spain, Quebec, North America (Native American and folk), Celtic, and Africa - both music and performances. Dancers, puppeteers, actors, and storytellers are welcome to entertain. Performances are usually about an hour each. Wandering acts, such as mimes, jugglers, or stilt walkers are also sought. FCA provides a stipend for artists and performers at the event. Food vendors, artists and artisan vendors also needed as their will be a "market" and "global food court. "Volunteers before and the days of the event, always welcome.

Events will be under tents and within buildings.

FMI Contact:
Fiddlehead Center for the Arts (FCA), Jacinda Cotton-Castro, 83 Pineland Drive, New Gloucester, Maine 04260.

Stage reading of "The Glass Menagerie" at USM Department of Theatre
Tennessee Williams' semi-autobiographical play, "The Glass Menagerie" is a classic of the American theater. Its characters have become icons of their type - Amanda, the domineering Southern Belle mother; Laura, the fragile dreamy sister; Tom, the angry, guilt-ridden brother who runs from this painful family dynamic.

The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre will present this poignant drama in a staged reading Thursday through Sunday, February 12 through 15, 2004, on the Main Stage in Russell Hall on the USM Gorham campus. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and at 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10 for the general public; $7 for seniors; and $5 for students.

(NOTE: This production replaces the previously announced "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof." Times and locations are the same.)

Humor and heart meet in Marvin's Room
The Public Theatre gets the new year off to a great start with the humorous and touching play, Marvin's Room, Jan 30 to Feb 8th. In the style of Steel Magnolias and Terms of Endearment, Marvin's Room mixes humor with heart, and celebrates the wondrous strength of family ties, even in the oddest of families.

Winner of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway play, Performances are Jan 30, 31, Feb 1, 5, 7,6, 7, 8, Thursday thru Sat at 8 p.m.

and Sunday at 2 p.m. A free post-show discussion will follow the Sunday Feb 1 performance. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for students and seniors. For tickets call 782-3200.

Photo: A family trip to Disney World turns out to be a wilder ride than expected in the humorous and touching play Marvin's Room, now playing at The Public Theatre, Jan 30-Feb 8. Call 782-3200 (ULclockwise ) Ian Mulligan, Gopher Man, Janet Mitchko, Alice Cannon and Sheila Stasack). Photo credit: Annette Bourque